City of Darwin and Northern Territory Government have joined forces to support local businesses during what is one of the quietest trading times of the year with a new round of the successful myDarwin vouchers available from 12.01am Wednesday.
"The myDarwin vouchers were originally launched early in the Covid pandemic, when many businesses were suffering," Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis said.
"Covid brought home to us all, the critical need to work together, as our city responded to and rose from this challenge."
"Once launched, local businesses reported that the myDarwin vouchers increased customer spending significantly."
"Both levels of government want to see local businesses succeed and thrive and the $200,000 final round of myDarwin vouchers helps achieve this."
Registered myDarwin users receive $40 worth of myDarwin vouchers with spent vouchers redeemed every 48 hours. Vouchers can only be redeemed at local Darwin businesses
Since being launched in May last year, the popular myDarwin scheme developed by City of Darwin has already resulted in more than $5 million injected into the local economy to support Darwin jobs and businesses. More than 400 local merchants and 37,000 Territorians are registered to participate in the program.
It was so successful that four other Northern Territory councils as well as the Canberra territory government have since also adopted the technology and program to support their local economies.
Businesses can still register to be part of the myDarwin voucher program. Overall Council has invested $650,000 from parking reserves towards funding the vouchers with an additional $400,000 provided by the NT Government.
Quotes attributable to Chief Minister, Michael Gunner:
"Throughout the pandemic we have done everything we can to support small business and keep Territorians in jobs.
"The Territory Labor Government has committed $1 million towards myDarwin and other local council voucher schemes, and it's been a massive success. These vouchers have helped the Territory be Australia's comeback capital.
"We chipped in $200,000 for this final round of myDarwin vouchers to ensure the Territory's economy continues to tick over, and business stays on track."
